OUR READERS WRITE...

August 19, 2012

I would like to thank you and so many in this community for contributing to and sustaining the Salem Community Theatre's latest production of "Footloose." It has been a wonderful production. The cast, who came from all over, was phenomenal.

The production staff was dedicated and talented in their own right. And the show was a huge success both technically and creatively, filling almost all the seats each night. If it wasn't for those of you that came to the show and avidly spread the word, or for the news media that published wonderful and timely reviews and community calendars of events, this show would have been missed by too many.

Thanks to you, it was not like the tree that fell in the forest. Many have thanked and congratulated me, but my gratitude goes to the cast, crew, staff, patrons, sponsors, and everyone else that contributed their time, talent, and effort.

Thanks to Eric Sarginger for crafting the Chicago skyline, complete with 11 foot tall Sears Tower and John Hancock buildings, in your garage and donating the hardware so the cast and crew could hold it up I owe you a big bag of candy. Thanks to Carrie Utt, Karli Utt, and Chris Sarginger for pinch-hitting for the spot operator and crew member you enabled the show to go on. Thanks to all the box office volunteers who were not given a moments rest rumor has it that one of you was returning calls from the ER! Thanks to the friends, parents, and production members that drove cast and crew members from as far as Kent for up to five days per week for two months even with the high price of gas. Each of you made it possible to produce and share such a wonderful production.

Finally, so you are all aware of your impact on others, I have to share with you that a cast member posted on his Facebook Page after opening night, "This was the best night of my life." Each of you made that happen thank you!

NICOLE PAOLOZZI,

Director of "Footloose"

Salem Community Theatre

Being held 'hostage' by energy companies

To the editor:

I am writing this letter so county residents who are not involved with gas storage leases are given information they may not be receiving in their local newspapers, so they may call upon their representatives to represent the interests of our county's citizens.

First and foremost, the residents of this county living within the Brinker Storage are being held hostage by companies such as Columbia Gas. Many have leases that expired as far back as 1957, and Columbia Gas claims they are still binding. The leases claim they are able to drill for oil and gas and use the property to store gas, but do not have to prove that they are utilizing the property. Columbia Gas, in particular, has failed to pay those with leases, and yet still wants to claim the leases are in full force. I know that Columbia Gas has failed to make the $1 per acre payment to us, for the past five years.

Columbia Gas recently sold their interests to their own subsidiary, NiSource, with the intention of obtaining drilling rights for the recently discovered Marcellus Shale, and muscle landowners into accepting the $200 annual royalty from their lease dating back to 1957.

Needless to say, in 1957, no one had the ability to navigate their way through 13,000 feet of earth to be able to obtain this new crude, and the storage field would not be affected by the drilling, as this would be 10,000 feet or more below any storage that is currently utilized.

Some may say this is greed by landowners to want what is a fair and equitable share of what profit will be made from their own property.

Others know the greed is on the part of Columbia Gas, who failed for 50 years to drill or produce gas on property they leased. Now that someone else has been able to come up with a way for this to happen, they want to lay claim to leases that expired 50 years ago.

The Brinker Storage encompasses nearly 30,000 acres in Fairfield, Center and Elkrun townships and effects over 800 landowners. These are your neighbors and friends that are being affected.

Ohio has no minimum royalty law. It is one of only a few states that does not. Our state senators and state representatives need to be asked to vote for the minimum royalty law that is before the House.

We may not have a great deal of wealth to fight huge corporations, but we still have a voice and a say in our laws.

NANCY J. GEHO,

Leetonia

Star Trax 5K?Night Run was a big success

To the editor:

The members of the Salem X-Tra Mile Club would like to thank all who contributed toward making the 19th running of the Star Trax 5K Night Run an overwhelming success.

At 9 on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 4, a record-shattering field of 803 registered runners raced out of Reilly Stadium onto the luminary-lined streets of Salem to benefit the Salem Senior and Junior High School's boys and girls cross country and track and field programs.

This year's race honored the late Janie Mowery, longtime junior high track coach. The starting gun was fired by Janie's husband Bill who was accompanied by family members and Coach Jeff Craig. Along with participants from Ohio and the adjoining states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan and Indiana, the states of Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia were also represented. The run features a United States Track and Field certified 5,000 meter (3.1 miles) course making it one of the premier races in northeastern Ohio.

This year's men's and women's overall race winners were Brian Baum, 20, of Alliance with an elapsed time of 15:44.2; and last year's champion and womens record holder Samantha Hamilton, 21, of Youngstown with a time of 17:54.6.

Most of all, thank you, to the community and residents living along the race course. Your enthusiasm and help in placing and lighting the nearly 800 candle-lit luminaries over three miles of race course race is what sets our race apart from the others. Runners return year after year because Salem's community support is number one in the sport.

Team running in Salem has a rich history of excellence including seven state titles in cross country and most recently a state runner-up finish in track and field. We're very proud of our dedicated coaches and athletes and the X-Tra Mile Club is proud to support you.

We pride ourselves in putting on what we feel is a premiere race designed around showcasing our beautiful community, hospitable citizens, and generous sponsors. If you would like more information about the Salem X-Tra Mile Club or Star Trax, please logon to www.salemx-tramile.org or follow us on Facebook under "Star Trax 5K Night Run.

Thank you, Salem. Go Quakers!

Ted F. Marroulis,

Matthew R. Yerkey,

Ted T. and Lori Yuhaniak,

Race Directors

Christina Texter,

X-Tra Mile Club Treasurer

Amie Cochran,

Varsity Cross Country and Girls Track Coach

Todd Huda,

Varsity Boys Track Coach

Urges Christians to get out and vote

To the editor:

If you consider yourself a Christian and are not happy with the way Christians are being treated in the world today, you need to make sure that you vote in November. Christians are being denied their first amendment rights in the United States in these times.

Efforts to exclude businesses that are ran or owned by Christians in such cities as Boston and Chicago are disturbing.

If you are not registered to vote in November and would like help to become registered please call 330-831-5098 to request assistance.

If you are homebound or are in a nursing home I will provide help for you to process an absentee ballot. I will arrange transportation for you to get to your polling place if you need a ride. It is time for Christians to stand up for themselves by electing representatives that support our values. This is the only way we can assure our rights under the constitution.

JIM SOLMEN,

Salem

Salem Hunting Club offers thanks

To the editor:

The Salem Hunting Club held the ninth annual Lowell Iden Memorial Trap Shoot and benefit breakfast on Aug. 4.

Mr. Iden was president of the hunting club for 10 years. He was an avid trap shooter and belonged to many shooting organizations.

All proceeds went to the Lowell Iden-Larry Iler Scholarship Fund. The 2012 scholarships were presented to Sarah Anderson, Hanoverton; Lindsay Iler, Salem; and Kayla Coldsnow, Beloit.

The Salem Hunting Club family and friends of Lowell Iden and Larry Iler would like to thank everyone who made this day possible.

Thanks also to the merchants that donated to the Chinese auction. They include Frontiers Unlimited, Lisbon; Fox Pizza Den, Lisbon; Great Clips, Salem; Sparkle Market, Salem; Cindy Beach Partylite, East of Chicago, Salem; Quaker Cab, Salem, Village Showcase, Hanoverton.

A special thanks goes to Runzo's Outdoor Sports for the donation of 410 shells, so our young trap shooters could try their skills.

This wonderful support from so many people will allow the scholarships to continue in the future.

Thank you everyone.

JANET IDEN,

Salem

Remembering a special kind of friend

To the editor:

I don't claim to understand how accumulated daily decisions and random events shape our lives but I am grateful for whatever forces resulted in my wife and me crossing life paths with and taking home a special cat who shared the last 15 years of his life with us.

Rocket (the name is a story in itself) was a runty Maine Coone of no reputable breeding who was mostly white with a black shamrock blotch on one side, a fleur de lis blotch on the other and a Harry Potter like white lightning bolt emblazoned on his black brow.

He quickly grew into the role of alpha cat among the others in our household, maintaining order at the food bowls, claiming the premium sunny spot in the room, and assuming first right of refusal if we offered "scritches" under the chin or a soft lap to sit in. Yet, he wasn't a bully and often quietly tolerated with almost infinite patience the playful pranks of the younger cats. When it was time to trim his nails Rocket would voice his displeasure at the indignity in no uncertain terms but he never bit or scratched me or anyone else, ever.

My wife occasionally wonders aloud about how odd it sometimes seems that we share our house with these furry little creatures running around with lives of their own. And as such things may happen, Rocket bonded most closely with her, the two sharing a mutual love, respect, and affection that transcends the species differences, each comforting the other when it was the right thing to do.

For me, my special time with Rocket was Sunday morning. On that day of the week I am typically first up and, after feeding the cats of course, I would sit down in my recliner with the newspaper and a cup of coffee for some quality time. I was inevitably joined by Rocket who would sit in my lap and, in exchange for some pets, tolerate the jiggling from my laughing at the funnies or my ranting at the world's tumult, turmoil, and upheaval. After an hour or so of this special sharing we went about the rest of our day.

And so we shared life in six homes of various durations, the relationship between man and cat a reassuring constant. The last few years brought new challenges as Rocket was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure which brought on a slow but inevitable decline. His vet called him a "trooper" as he tolerated the various goings on. Yet throughout it all he never changed who he was.

In the wee hours of last Saturday morning Rocket passed away not less than six hours before he was scheduled for what was to be a one way trip to the vet. I like to think that even as death approached he purposely faded away to relieve of us the burden and guilt that often comes with euthanasia.

I will miss our Sunday mornings the most.

BRYAN FULLER,

Hanoverton

To the editor:

Wow, more advocacies for socialism and a driven pursuit to secure a "Government Do All Take All," world.

Recently, Mr. Presutti, Mr. Straub and Mary Vandevander wrote regarding ObamaCare, regurgitating a lack of reality and fill of hyperbolic mishmash; while our liberties and freedom of choice are incrementally being stolen from us. Their strategic coming up short of the facts is very telling.

For years Medicare's and Social Security's demise has been loudly proclaimed. The automobile bailouts, craftily laced in bookkeeping houses of mirrors, haven't all been paid back. ObamaCare has already taken billions from Medicare in order to manipulate the numbers of the catastrophe lying in wait.

The Democrats controlled both houses since 2006 and in 2008 seized control of the White House. Subsequently, they partisanly ramrodded through whatever intrusive legislation they wanted. The ensuing collapse of America has been on their watch!

In November 2010 the American people said: "stop" and elected Conservative Republicans to put the brakes on a full steam ahead toward bankrupting America!

The rescue of Medicare proposed by Republicans, leaves those 55 years and older with their current coverage well intact. Those younger are given the opportunity to control their own future in their own best interest, not some bureaucrat in Washington.

Mary Vandevander stated: "I am proud to live in a country which has a government that will take responsibility for the health care of the weak and the poor."

Hello! ObamaCare was railroaded over the American people, as nationally the majority cried out against it and the Republicans were kept out! Its mandates take from everyone with a facade of universal healthcare and will increase the number of uninsured and Medicaid dependents costing taxpayers more money.

The youth, who are trying to survive in this jobless economy, often on minimum wage, must pay a fine, enforced by the IRS, if they do not participate. This still does not buy them healthcare coverage, but instead goes into a government sludge fund.

Mr. Presutti, Mr. Straub and Mary Vandevander, along with promoting the political career of their candidate Wilson, who consistently voted for advancing socialism, present a belief and trust in a "Government Do All Take All."

The weak and the poor are the most harmed by such a world view. They are left weak and poor, subject to vulnerability, dependency and manipulation by the strong arm of government. The vehemently pursued expansion of dependency on government using the poor as political pawns is appalling.

We must secure an economy of growing local businesses that are prospering enough to hire, offer competitive benefit packages and provide a pay check enabling individual dignity and pride of achievement.

November 2012 will determine our ultimate destiny. Poverty is rising to the highest rate since the 1960's with now nearly 50 percent of our population receiving welfare. Instead of sighting Congressman Bill Johnson as your target, how about setting your sites on bettering the lives of Americans, as Congressman Bill Johnson is!